May 16, 2007

George Mason University's head women's tennis coach Stephen Curtis has announced his incoming class for the 2007-08 season. In addition to Lindsay Gray, who signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Patriot tennis team last November, Curtis has added five more student-athletes in what is believed to be the best recruiting class in Mason tennis history.

"I do feel that this is, at the very least, one of the best recruiting classes in Mason history," said Head Coach Steve Curtis. "I am very excited about these players we will be able to work with for the next four years. This recruiting class moves our team up a level in strength overall, but it is only a small step within our very strong CAA conference."

Stephanie Longueira will come to the Patriots from Saddlebrook High School in Florida, where she has been for the past year training. A native of South Africa, she played in a number of tournaments during the past three years. In December 2005 she won singles in the Stellenbosch Super Seven Series in Cape Town. She was the medalist in doubles as well at Groenkloof Super Series and the Gauteng Central Super Series.

She was inducted into the National Honors Society and earned varsity letters in tennis, golf, swimming and track for the Spartans. Her father played soccer professionally for the Manning Rangers of the Premier Soccer League.

Stacey Berlinger will travel from her home in Englewood, Co to be a part of the Patriots squad. She earned four letters in tennis for the Bruins of Cherry Creek High School. Her team won the state title four straight seasons and she won the doubles title all four years. She also excelled in the classroom, earning four academic letters.

Sarah Dieffenbach has a lineage of collegiate athletes in her family. Father George played four years of tennis for the University of Pittsburgh and currently is the Panthers head tennis coach. Grandfather Fred played soccer and baseball at East Stroudsburg University. She won the Pennsylvania State Championship in 2004 and qualified for the state doubles championship in 2004 as part of the Fox Chapel Area High School team. She is a member of the National Honors Society.

Curtis will add two local student-athletes to the team with Catherine Crisostomo from Reston and Laura-Marie Blisk from Vienna. Crisostomo earned four varsity letters in tennis for Paul VI Catholic High School, where she was a two-time MVP for the squad. She earned Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Championship in 2003 and 2004. She is ranked #30 in USTA Mid-Atlantic Section Girls 18 and under. She has competed in USTA National and Super National Tournaments.

Blisk is a 2006 graduate of Heritage Academy and attended St. John's University last year. The transfer student earned varsity letters in tennis all four years in high school, attending Flint Hill as a freshman, McLean High School her sophomore and junior seasons before finishing at Heritage Academy in South Carolina, where she trained full-time at Smith-Sterns Tennis Camp. She earned MVP honors as a junior at McLean High School. She is ranked in the top 15 in the Mid-Atlantic Region girls under 18 and is currently playing in the Sure Point Seasons tennis league at Four Seasons Tennis Club.

Lindsay Gray signed a National Letter of Intent in November. The Bethlehem, Pa native is ranked fifth among 18 & under players in the USTA/Middle States section, has been busy with a lot of national tournaments. She trained at Saddlebrook Tennis Academy in Florida on and off during her high school career.

Gray played only one year on the high school tennis team. As a sophomore, she finished second in the PIAA Class 3A tennis singles tournament. She won the L.V.I.A.C tournament. She was named First Team All State and was named Player of the Year in The Express Times and the The Morning Call.

During her freshman year in high school she began her training at Saddlebrook and was ranked 4th in the Florida section and traveled to national tournaments. She won the Biology student of the year award and History student of the year award.